Who Said That?

[Universal] bishop is “a word of proud address that I have forbidden….None of my predecessors ever wished to use this profane word [‘universal’]….But I say it confidently, because whoever calls himself ‘universal bishop’ or wishes to be so called, is in his self-exaltation Antichrist’s precursor, for in his swaggering he sets himself before the rest.”

Leave your guess in the comments section below.  Please, no google searches or cheating! 

Update on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 09:33AM by Kim Riddlebarger

This comes from Gregory the Great (540-604), who affirmed the primacy of the office of the Bishop of Rome, while at the same time rejecting the title, "universal bishop."  The quotes come from a number of Gregory's letters found in NPNF 2 ser.XII. i. 75-76; ii. 170, 171, 179, 166, 169, 222, 225.

Comments

[Matthew]

I believe that was Pope Gregory the Great, 6th century?

[Roy]

Bishop Fulton Sheen ?

[Jim Vellenga]

So who said the last one?

[Alberto]

Cyprian comes to mind, since I think I once read a quote in which he spoke against the title.

[George]

Just the phrasing and the way he says it sure sounds a lot like Luther to me...

[Wyldeirishman]

Crowley?

[Rev. Z. Bartels]

John Denver!